Here’s a quick history: In the 1970s, it was mainly determined by critics to be plodding and full of anthems for caveman-like fans, most of them male. The ’80s saw a complete 180, as the acts that got popular adopted a glam-rock look and feel, attracting legions of female fans, but putting out such soulless hits as “Cherry Pie” and “Bang Your Head.”

When the grunge movement obliterated that particular folly in the early ’90s, it took a few years to recuperate and revive itself under the title “nu metal.” That abomination brought along the likes of Godsmack, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Staind, often incorporating elements of rap into the songs, like a less potent — and vastly less talented — version of Rage Against the Machine.

One of the primary offenders of nu metal was Korn. The slapdash blend of bass-heavy metal that provided the foundation for frontman Jonathan Davis’ frenetic and high-pitched ramblings appealed to an aggro-male fan base that wanted to continue mosh pits with all the violence but none of the community that existed in the grunge era. Basically, it was the epitome of that Neanderthal tag that defined the genre decades prior. Except this time, it was entirely apt.

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Thankfully, nu metal pretty much faded away as its fans found other outlets for testosterone raised in adolescence than smashing a fellow concertgoer over the back of their head in an exhibition of senseless rage. Unfortunately, metal as a whole is in another one of its cyclical downturns in which it seems like even the most popular and revered artists have something that people find detrimental.

Black Sabbath was the biggest metal story of 2013. The band’s first album with Ozzy Osbourne since 1978 topped the charts in countries around the world, but drummer Bill Ward wasn’t on board due to a contractual disagreement. Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman died and the group kicked out drummer Dave Lombardo over financial issues. Down announced that it had parted ways with founding guitarist and “riff master” Kirk Windstein, which has the potential to severely alter their sound.

Then there are people like Megadeth founder Dave Mustaine. Since he can no longer complain about being thrown out of Metallica all those years ago, he’s become a conspiracy theorist, going on about his belief in chemtrails and agreeing with “birthers” when it came to President Obama’s place of birth.

Now Korn’s Davis has thrown his hat into the conspiracy ring, with online dirt sheet TMZ catching up with him at Los Angeles International Airport this week and asking him about the band’s latest video, “Spike in My Veins,” which dropped with little to zero fanfare earlier this month. Filled with images of Kanye West, Miley Cyrus twerking and Justin Bieber being hounded by the paparazzi, the explanation Davis gave was absolutely mind-boggling.

“I think that our government uses those people to detract from what’s really going on,” he said. “The thing with the whole Miley Cyrus stuff at the VMAs, when that went down, Obama passed a law that made him basically a dictator. He can imprison whoever he wants. He doesn’t have to charge them, he can hold them as long as he wants.”

Wait. What?

Basically, Davis is saying that Cyrus and her attempts to be shocking, Bieber getting arrested and West flipping out on a routine basis is all coordinated by the government so we don’t realize the real issue, which is big brother taking away our liberties one right at a time.

That’s not only completely ridiculous, but the fact that there are still Korn fans who might make them have second thoughts as to why Cyrus is grinding all over the MTV Video Music Awards with her tongue hanging out other than she wants to distance herself from a formerly squeaky-clean image is insane.

And that’s where metal stands in the headlines right now: It’s all a conspiracy.

To contact music columnist Michael Christopher, send an email to rockmusicmenu@hotmail.com. Also, check out his blog at www.delcotimes.com